Madam Jolly,
That long winded theory might also be described as "Not using yer belly button for a peep hole!"
I found a nice red fire extinguisher applied smartly to the noggin of the one in need of learning to be most effective as it had a unique way of emphasizing the point being made by the instructor.
Effective Situational Awareness in helicopters falls slightly short of absolute paranoia as there are mulitiple ways you can be done in. Fostering a mindset that keeps that notion fresh but subliminal is the key.
The problem is SA and Judgement are intertwined and Judgement cannot be taught by example or repetition. Decision making skills foster processing of information by priority and then structuring the followup actions.
Realizing priorities change as information is processed allows one to focus and ignore less important issues.
Basically.....teach folks to "Think!"
Too many organizations focus upon standardization and procedure (think checklists) to the exclusion of "thinking". They confuse that for "situational awareness".
Review a Simulator video of a training flight sometime.....note the correlation of red lights and "dipped shoulder" syndrome. The red light comes on....and a shoulder dips as someone reaches for the Emergency Checklist. I would suggest that is a dangerous mindset to get into. I would suggest reaching for the checklist is the very last thing that needs to be done at that point. Yet, we see that behaviour over and over.
How do you teach people to think is the question I want to see answered. I fear some folks just ain't gonna hack it in that endeavour.